A recent outbreak of bird flu has struck Fish Lake in Indiana, killing hundreds of sandhill cranes. The avian influenza A (H5N1) virus has caused significant mortality among the crane population, with nearly 1,500 birds reported dead across multiple counties.
According to Eli Fleace, an Indiana DNR Avian Health Specialist, this is the first time the flu has hit the cranes this hard. “This is the first time that H5N1 has caused a mortality event in the cranes at this scale,” he said.
While thousands of sandhill cranes have been migrating through Fish Lake, over 100 birds have made it their final resting spot. Local resident Sean Leone stepped up to help dispose of the carcasses after the DNR declined to pick them up due to capacity constraints.
Leone organized a team of volunteers to assist in cleaning up the dead birds, using disposable gloves and double-bagging the bodies for safe disposal. The Indiana DNR advised Leone on proper sanitation procedures to minimize the risk of transmission to humans.
The community is coming together to support Leone’s efforts, with donations of supplies available at his email address: [email protected]. The DNR urges anyone finding sick or dead birds to report them immediately.
Source: https://wsbt.com/news/local/bird-flu-h5n1-avian-influenza-fish-lake-sandhill-cranes-hit-hard-dropped-dead-died-migration-community-volunteers-dispose-carcasses-dnr-laporte-county-indiana